Ernest a



(No Model.)

E. A. LANGPORD. FUSE CUTTING TOOL.

No. 595,915. Patented Dec. 21,1897.

wi imwwy, a Mae mica I UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEICE.

ERNEST A. LANGFORD, OF WASHINGTON, CALIFORNIA.

FUSE-CUTTING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,915, dated December 21, 1897.

Application filed April 2, 1897. Serial No. 630,449. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST A. LANGFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, county of Nevada, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Fuse-Tools; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a tool which is adapted especially for preparing fuse to be used in conjunction with mines and. at other points where explosions are to be produced by such mines.

It consists in the combination in a single structure of jaws movable to and from each other by means of handles and having openings respectively for severing the fuse into lengths, for crimping and securing it to the cap through which the explosion is eventually produced, and in cutting the end of the fuse to expose the powder core, so that it will be sure of ignition.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view of the tool. Fig. 2 is aview of the inner edge of the left jaw. Fig. 3 shows the oblique cut in the fuse. Fig. 4 shows crimping of the cap over the fuse.

In the preparingof fuse which is to be used especially with high explosives the length of fuse to be used is first cut oif by any suitable tool. One end of the fuse is then introduced into the cap, where it is secured, and the opposite end of the fuse is prepared so as to be ignited.

It is customary to set off a great number of blasts at one time, and in order to insure the prompt ignition of each fuse they must be carefully prepared, so that the wick or candle when applied will start each one with certainty and allow the operator time to escape.

It often occurs that one or two or more of the fuses will ignite promptly, while others will not start, and the operator has finally to leave without being sure that all the fuses are ignited. Then those which have been ignited may explode, while there is a possibility that the remaining one willhave ignited sometime after the operator has left, thus making it exceedingly dangerous to approach the point of explosion on account of the possibility that another explosion may take place and injure the operator.

In order to insure the preparation of the fuse so that it will ignite promptly upon the application of fire thereto, I have shown jaws A A hinged at B, having handles 0, by which they may be closed about the hinge-point. The outer ends of these jaws are curved upon a segment of which the pivot-pin Bis the center. The jaws are also inclined from the upper to the lower surface, and to one of these jaws is fixed ablade D, which overlaps and passes the other one, so as to act in conjunction therewith as a cutter. Behind this blade a hole E is made vertically, so that the lower end of the hole intercepts the lower cutting edge of the blade. The latter thus cuts anything introduced to the hole with a diagonal cut extending to about the center. The hole E is made one-half in each of the jaws and is of a size to receive the fuse which is placed between the jaws when the latter are opened, and when the jaws are placed upon it the cutter-blade makes an angular cut extending from one side to the middle or powder-channel of the fuse, as shown in Fig. 3. The fuse is then bent backward from this out, and this opens the powder-channel and loosens up a small portion of the powder at the bottom of the diagonal cut, exposing it so that it will be certainly ignited upon the application of flame.

F is a second hole formed just behind the hole E, extending straight through between the two jaws, and G is a blade fixed in one of these jaws and movable across the hole and over the edge of the second jaw, so as to sever the fuse when the latter is clasped by it and the jaws closed, thus providing any length of fuse that may be desired.

H is another hole bored through between the two jaws and having a pin liked in one of the jaws within the semicylindrical open ing formed therein, so that when the fuse has been introduced into the cap the latter may be inserted into this opening and it will be crimped firmly upon the fuse, the pin indenting it so as to prevent the fuse from slipping out of the cap, and by reason of its circular shape it will compress the cap upon the fuse,

so that it will be water-tight.

The preparation of the fuse will consist in, first, cutting off the proper length; second, crimping the cap upon the end of the fuse,

and, third, in making a diagonal cut at the outer end and turning the outer end back, as previously described, so as to break it across the powder-channel. All the fuses having thus been prepared they may be ignited one after the other, so that the explosions take place essentially simultaneously or close together', and by the use of this tool the action of the fuse is rendered more certain and even.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fuse-tool consisting of a pair of pivoted jaws with actuating-handles, said jaws having corresponding openings made in line between them, and a diagonally-placed blade secured to one of said jaws with relation to said openings whereby the closing of the jaws upon the fuse will make a diagonal out from one side to the center or powder-channel thereof to prepare the end of the fuse for ignition.

2. A fusetool consisting of jaws fulcrunied together and having handles by which they are opened and closed, said jaws having beveled segmental ends and having holes made in line between them, means forse'vering the fuse into lengths, a diagonally-placed cutter secured to one of said jaws so as to intersect the adjacent hole in a plane extending from the periphery of the opening to the center thereof whereby a diagonal cut is made from the outside to the center of the fuse when the jaws are closed thereon, and a crirnper for securing the fuse to the cap.

3. A tool for preparing fuse for ignition 4. A fuse-tool consisting of jaws pivoted together and having handles by which they are movable about the pivot-pin, sernieylindrical openings made through the jaws in line with each other and parallel with the pivotpin, a cutter-blade fixedwith relation to one of said openings whereby the fuse is severed by a straight cut, a pin fixed in one side of one of the openings adapted to indent the cap and compress it upon the fuse after the latter has been inserted into the cap, a diagonally-placed blade secured with relation to a third. opening so as to intersect the same in a plane extending from the periphery of the cylindrical opening to the center thereof whereby a diagonal out is made from the outside to the center of the fuse when the jaws are closed thereon.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

Witnesses:

4 S. H. NOURSE,

H. F. ASCHEGK. 

